Tong supporting curler



Oct. 4, 1955 N. SOLOMON 2,719,527

TONG SUPPORTING CURLER Filed July 5, 1952 INVENTOR fl/alzarzl.olomon United States Patent 2,719,527 I TONG SUPPoRTnsIG -CURLER Nathan -L. SolomomEnglewood, N. J. Application July 5, 1952, Serial No. 297,331

8 Claims. Cl. 132-33 This invention relates to what are generally referred to as curlers for the formation of curls and for positioning and holding the curls snugly upon the scalp 'by engagement of tongs with part of thehair at the scalp in retaining the curler against accidental displacement. More particularly, the invention deals with a curler of the character described, having means for actuating the tongs to control attachment and detachment of the curler.

The novel features of the invention'will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosediand, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a curler made according to my invention, showing the parts in extended position.

Fig. 2 is a view of the curler with the parts inposition upon completion of the formation of the curl and prior to securing the curler against displacement, the curlerbeing showninelevation.

Fig. 3 is a view similarto Fig. 2 showing the curler in section and illustrating the curler inthe engaged or holding position.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the structure as shown in Fig. 3, illustrating the curler in elevation; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view showing the spring coupling between the gripping and holding tongs.

In the accompanying drawing, 1 have illustrated'at a tubular casing, preferably formed as a split tube, the split 11 of the tube being disposed at right angles to a pair of opposed apertures 12 formed in the outer end portion of the tube and a pair of notches 13 opening through the other end portion of the tube, as clearly seen in Fig. 3.

The tube or what may be termed the casing 10 is also preferably provided with longitudinally and circumferentially spaced apertures, as indicated at 14, for purposes of ventilation.

Arranged within the tube or casing 10 are a pair of gripper tongs 15 and 16. The tongs have contracted and outwardly curved gripper ends 17 and 18, respectively, note Fig. 3, which operate in the notches or recesses 13; whereas, the other end portions of the tongs have offset fingerpiece portions 19 and 20, respectively, which operate in the apertures 12.

Closely adjacent the fingerpiece portions 19 and 20 and where the tongs 15 and 16 overlap are registering apertures, collectively identified by the single reference character 21 and, in these apertures, is disposed a coil portion 22 of a spring 23, the coil forming a pivotal coupling between the tongs and extends beyond outer surfaces of the tongs, one end of the spring having a long arm 24 with an offset end 25 engaging an aperture in the tong 15; whereas, the other end of the spring has a similar long arm 24' with an end 25' engaging an aperture in the tong 16, all as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawing. The tongs, when assembled in the man- "ice ner shown in Fig. 5, are adapted to be inserted into the casing or tube 10 and spring tension of the arms 24, 24' is such as to normally extend the prong ends 17 and 18 outwardly through the notches 13 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing. However, in the use of the curler, two fingers of the hand are utilized in pressing inwardly on the fingerpieces 19 and 20 to bring the tongs into the position shown in Fig. 2.

The hair is then wound upon the curler, in the manner diagrammatically illustrated at 26 'in Figs. 2 and 4, inclusive, after which pressure 'onthe fingerpieces 19 and 20 is released and the tongs will move from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that illustrated in Fig, '3 and, in this outward movement, the tongs will engage parts of the hair adjacent the scalp 26, as diagrammatically illustrated at 28 in Fig. 3 and as also designated by the reference character 28 in Fig. 4 of the drawing. This outward movement of the tongs engaging the hair, adjacent the scalp, serves to support the curler snugly upon or in close proximity to the scalp during the setting period. After the curl has been set, it will be apparent that, by again applying pressure upon the ffingerpieces 19 and 20,

the tong ends 17 and '18 willbe moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to a position substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 2 and the curler can then be withdrawn from the curl without disturbing the curl.

It is preferred that the length of the tube or casing 10, be minimized so as to obviate as much as possible any tilting action on the curler when applied to the hair and also to avoid excessive projection of the curler with respect to the hair.

By virtue of the construction disclosed, curlers of the kind under consideration can be economically produced and'sold at a nominal price to the user. In this connection, it will be apparent that substantially three parts are formed, namely the casing, one prong which is used in duplicate and the spring for resiliently coupling the'prong.

'Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A curler of the character described, .comprising a tubular casing, a pair of tongs arranged in said casing, said tongs comprising pivoted links having outwardly extending tong ends at one endand outwardly extending fingerpieces at the opposite end, said fingerpieces extending through opposed walls of said casing, a spring engaging the links to normally support the fingerpieces in extended position, the tong ends of said links extending outwardly beyond the casing at the other end thereof, and said tong ends being retractable into the casing by actuation of the fingerpieces against the action of said spring.

2, A curler of the character described, comprising a tubular casing, a pair of tongs arranged in said casing, said tongs comprising pivoted links having outwardly extending tong ends at one end and outwardly extending fingerpieces at the opposite end, said fingerpieces extending through opposed walls of said casing, a spring engaging the links to normally support the fingerpieces in extended position, the tong ends of said links extending outwardly beyond the casing at the other end thereof, said tong ends being retractable into the casing by actuation of the fingerpieces against the action of said spring, and said tong ends operating in opposed recesses opening through the last named end of said casing.

3. A curler of the character described, comprising a tubular casing, a pair of tongs arranged in said casing, said tongs comprising pivoted links having outwardly extending tong ends at one end and outwardly extending fingerpieces at the opposite end, said fingerpieces extend ing through opposed walls of said casing, a spring engaging the links to normally support the fingerpieces in extended position, the tong ends of said links extending outwardly beyond the casing at the other end thereof, said tong ends being retractable into the casing by actuation of the fingerpieces against the action of said spring, said tong ends operating in opposed recesses opening through the last named end of said casing, and said fingerpieces operating in apertures in opposed walls in the first named end of the casing and retaining the tongs against displacement from the casing.

4. A curler of the character described, comprising a tubular casing, a pair'of tongs arranged in said casing, said tongs comprising pivoted links having outwardly extending tong ends at one end and outwardly extending fingerpieces atthe opposite end, said fingerpieces extending through opposed walls of said casing, a spring engaging the.links to normallysupport the fingerpieces in extended position,the tong endsof said links extending outwardly beyond the casing at the other end thereof, said tong ends being retractable into the casing by actuation of the fingerpieces against the action of said spring, saidtong ends operating in opposed recesses opening through the last named end of said casing, said fingerpieces operating in apertures in opposed walls in the first named end of the casing and retaining the tongs against displacement from the casing, said spring comprising a coil having extending arms coupled with said links in spaced relation to the coil, and said coil being arranged in alined apertures of the links and forming pivotal coupling between said links.

5. A curler of the character described, comprising a tubular casing, a pair of tongs arranged in said casing, said tongs comprising pivoted links having outwardly extending tong ends at one end and outwardly extending fingerpieces at the opposite end, said fingerpieces extending through opposed walls of said casing, a spring engaging the links to normally support the fingerpieces in extended position, the tong ends of said links extending outwardly beyond the casing at the other end thereof, said tong ends being retractable into the casing by actuation of the fingerpieces'against the action of said spring, said tong ends operating in opposed recesses opening through the last named end of said casing, said fingerpieces operating in apertures in opposed walls in the first named end of the casing and retaining the tongs against displacement from the casing, said spring comprising a coil having extending arms coupled with said links in spaced relation to the coil, said coil being arranged in alined apertures of the links and forming pivotal coupling between said links, and the tong end of in a' direction opposite to the extension of the fingerpiece of said link.

6. A curler of the character described, comprising a body on which a swatch ofjhair is adapted to be wound, manually actuated means movably supported in said body adapted to engage the hair at the scalp beneath the wound swatch of hair on said body in support of the curler against displacement from the scalp, said manually actuated means comprising a pair of tongs retractable within the body in the operation of winding 21 swatch of hair on said body and extendible for operative engagement with the hair upon'completion of the winding of the swatch of hair around said body, fingerpiece portions on said tongs facilitating manual actuation of said tongs, tensional means for normally supporting the tongs in operative position, said body comprising a perforated tube, and said tongs being pivotally coupled within said tube.

7. A curler of the character described, comprising a body on which a swatch of hair is adapted to be wound, manually actuated means movably supported and substantially housed within said body in winding a swatch of hair thereon, said means including tongs, a coil spring for pivoting said tongs together within said body, and said spring having arms engaging said tongs to extend the tongs outwardly of one end of said body to engage the hair at the scalp beneath the wound swatch of hair on said body in support of the curler against displacement from the scalp.

8. A curler of the character described, comprising a body' on which a swatch of hair is adapted to be wound, manually actuated means movably supported and substantially housed within said body in winding a swatch of hair thereon, said means including tongs, a coil spring for pivoting said tongs together within said body, said spring having arms engaging said tongs to extend the tongs outwardly of one endof said body to engage the hair at the scalp beneath the wound swatch of hair on said body in support of the curler against displacement from the scalp, and said tongs including fingerpieces extendable through the other end portion of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

